Never Underestimate a Stubborn Tin Man
by T'PeeJ
Summary: DG is asked about her dating on the other side. There are things she doesn't want to talk about to anyone.


DG had been called down to her mother's office

BWord Count/B:4110

Want to thank lj user"diesaj " for title of the story and lj user"**erinm4600**" for the beta'ing. Saints all the way around.

DG had been called down to her mother's office. Though she was going to see her father, Cain, Glitch and Raw followed her down to the office. The guards let them in.

Ahamo was sitting in a chair that had been in front of her mother's desk and there was a chair facing him.

"Hey, Dad," said DG as she crossed the room to him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Spitfire," said the consort. "Please sit down." He pointed at the chair facing him and had a worried look on his face.

"So, what's up?" asked DG as she got comfortable in the chair.

Ahamo wiped his face with his hand. "I've been asked to talk to you, DG. There was something brought up to us from Em and Henry."

That was the first time DG had heard her robot parents referred to as anything other then Nurture Units. "What could they have said to make you worried?" asked DG.

"You did things over on the other side that a princess of the OZ wouldn't, couldn't do," said the consort.

"WHOA," said DG as she jumped up from the chair. "You're asking me about sex. I'm not going into that with my father."

A hand grabbed DG's shoulder and pushed her back into the chair. Turning to see who grabbed her, DG found Cain with his eyes a bright blue.

"Em said you went out with some guy in high school, tell me about ..."

"Oh good grief," commented DG. "His name was Eugene Wesley Huffermyer, Dad. He was nothing to worry about. We were intersexual couple. No foul." DG crossed her arms across her chest.

"What does 'intersexual couple' mean?" asked Ahamo.

DG started to laugh. "Boy, you have been over here a long time. Jean was a gay guy, I was his safe date. He needed a cover because he wasn't ready to come out of the closet yet. They would have killed him in that dinky ass town when they found out he was in love with men."

"Oh," said the consort. "What about the guy you were dating in college?"

DG jerked away from Cain's hand and ran out of the room. Raw was the first one out the door after her. He followed her emotions to locate her out in the garden, hiding behind some hedges.

"DG should tell," said the Viewer.

"Nothing happened, Raw."

"Yes it did," said Raw. "I saw it from you."

Looking up at her friend, DG said: "You can't tell anyone about it. Just leave it alone, Raw."

"Not mine to tell," said Raw.

"Thank you," said DG. As Raw looked down on the princess, she looked more like 'little girl lost' then the brave DG who saved all of the OZ.

"I guess I should go to Milltown and kill Em and Henry." DG got up and moved away from Raw. "I just don't know what the heck they were doing talking to Mother and Father about this. And they know nothing about what happened, either, so none of this is good for me."

Raw moved away from DG. He could feel her anger and surprise and hate for someone. He couldn't put his finger on it all.

DG turned to face Raw and, when she noticed the pained look on his face, she asked: "Am I broadcasting at you?"

"Yes," said Raw.

"Sorry, I'll try to control it." Moving over to Raw, she put her arm around his shoulder. "So, let me buy you lunch for the pain you had to live through just now."

"Why buy lunch, you get it for free?" asked Raw.

DG started to laugh. "It's an expression from the Other Side. Sorry. Let's go get some food. That way I can think of a way out of the Spanish Inquisition. I'm going to be getting it from all sides; Mother and Father, Az, Cain and Glitch with be the scariest group."

"Back way?' asked Raw.

"Yeah, that way Cain won't see us with his eagle eyes before I can come up with something."

The two walked of toward the kitchen.

Wyatt Cain was pissed off. Someone on the Other Side had hurt Princess DG. Once he found out who and what was done, he was going over there and killing the person. NO ONE DID THAT TO DG! Now, he just had to find her and the furball and find out what the hell happened.

Cain had sent Glitch out to look in the garden; the zipperhead had come back three times to ask Cain want he was doing again. So far, he hadn't been back yet. As he walked by the open door to the royal dining room, Cain thought he saw Raw. Stepping back, he looked in and saw the two of them sitting at the very end of the table, by themselves. The two were only talking to each other; not something DG did often, not talking to everyone in the room. They had their heads close together and DG was doing most of the talking. As Cain entered the room, the Queen and the Consort came in through another door.

"My Angel," said the Queen.

DG looked up and as she moved her head, she saw Cain. She closed her eyes and said something to Raw. He looked at Cain and then back at the Queen with a pained look on his face.

"Mother," said DG. Looking quickly over at Cain, she gave him a weak smile. Raw reached out and patted her hand.

The two had talked while they ate; Raw couldn't make her tell the truth. He wouldn't tell her secret either, unless the Queen told him directly to spill it or Cain had his gun to his head. Raw waited to hear what the princess was going to say.

"Are you all right?" asked the Queen with a great amount of concern.

"Yes, Mother, I'm fine," DG said with a sigh. "There some things I'm not ready to talk about just yet. Nothing to worry about. Everything about me is the same since the day I was born. Though, I did have that mole on my removed when I was thirteen years, sorry, annuals-old. Other than that, I'm the same person." DG got up and kissed her mother's cheek and walked out of the room.

Cain's jaw went on lock. He didn't know why she just basically lied to her mother, but she lied just the same. That was the last straw. Cain ducked out of the room before anyone realized that he was gone. He went back looking for the Princess and found Raw instead.

Raw was pacing back and forth out on the garden. He looked up quickly when he felt Cain's appearance. Raw was not looking forward to this visit.

"Raw," said Cain. "What did DG tell you?"

"Told me nothing," said the Viewer.

"All right then, what did you get from her?" commanded Cain as he stepped into Raw's personal space.

Raw still didn't see the gun come out of the holster, so he thought he could dance around the answer. Looking up into Cain's face, Raw didn't have a good lie to tell him, so he told him the truth instead. "I can't say."

Cain pushed Raw a bit. "What do you mean you 'can't say'?" DG once said she could see steam coming out of Cain's ears when he was angry and wasn't getting his way. Raw was seeing it now. Cain's face was all red and he looked like he was going to lose it.

"Hey Raw," called out DG. "I forgot to give you back..." She stopped when she saw how angry Cain looked. He was about to start bullying Raw. Boy, was she glad she got there in time.

"Hey boys, what's up?"

Cain turned on to her. The look wasn't a murderous look, but there was going to be someone to die soon. "What the hell is going on, DG? You made him promise not to tell!"

DG looked a little surprised at Raw. She wasn't surprised that he wouldn't lie for her, but it did surprise her that he told Cain he couldn't say.

"It's none of you're business, Cain. I wasn't even in the OZ at the time, so bug off."

That didn't go over well with Wyatt Cain. DG stepped back for fear that Cain was going to do his version of Mt. St. Helens going off. Not going to be pretty.

"I thought I was your friend, Your Highness," stated Cain. "I'm sorry I was mistaken. Friends help each other when something happens to them."

As Cain went to move past DG, she reached out and grabbed his arm. He jerked it out of her grasp. "You are my friend, Cain. It's just that nothing happened. All right. Something almost happened one time." DG stopped talking and looked at Raw. The Viewer shook his head at her. DG took a breath and let it slowly.

DG wasn't sure if she could do this. Not because of the bad memories, but for the lack of any memories. Looking at Cain's face, she started: "I went with this guy by the name of Bruce. He took me to this party and I think someone put a date-rape drug in my drink. That whole night is a big mystery to me. What I do know is, when I woke up, I still had all my clothes on. All of them. Rapist don't redress you. Bruce was lying on the bed with me, but he looked like he had the hell beat out of him. He did have something of his hanging out of his pants."

The angry drained off Cain. "He didn't touch you at all?"

"No idea," said DG. "But, once he was well enough to go back to school, he avoided me like I was the plague. After I met you, I wondered if it was possible for you to find a way to get over to the Other Side and time travel back and stop anything from happening."

"Give me all the information and I will see what Glitch can come up with," said Cain with pure evil smile on his face.

"Why does that scare me more?" said DG.

"It should. Why didn't you report it?"

"I could have reported the rape drug, but I didn't want to scare the crap out of Momster and Popsicle. Plus, he didn't do anything to me. I didn't see the need."

"He might have tried it on someone else, DG," said Cain.

"No, he left school and checked himself into a hospital," said DG with a smile.

"A mental hospital, I hope?" asked Cain.

"Yes, whatever happened scared the hell out of him."

"Hmm, he better pray that I don't figure out a way to do those things to him. Though it might be a little nice to kick his ass."

"Cain, give it a rest, would you, please?" pleaded DG.

"Maybe," replied Cain. Letting the other two walk away, Cain moved down to Glitch's lab.

"Hey, Glitch," said the Tin Man as he came into the lab.

"Cain, what can I do for you?" asked Glitch.

"I need to know if you or Ambrose could come up with a way for me to go back in time to protect DG when she's on the Other Side," said Cain, standing there with his hands on his hips and looking at Glitch.

"Let me work on it," replied Glitch. It took five years, but Ambrose came through for Cain. On that day, Ambrose found Cain in the garden with the royal family.

"Cain," said Ambrose as he waved his hand at him.

"Yeah, Ambrose?" said Cain.

"You remember when you asked me about traveling back in time?' Ambrose smiled at the Tin Man.

"You've done it?" asked Cain as he moved so his back was facing the royals. He didn't want DG catching on to what he was up to.

"Yes," said Ambrose. "Were you able to get more information from DG?"

"Yes, I was. It took almost the entire time, but I have the date and the time."

"So, when do we leave?" asked Ambrose.

"I have to go and check the troops in a week. I think we will leave early; can you be ready to leave tomorrow?" asked Cain.

"I packed everything up before I came up here, so, Yes." replied Ambrose. "Shall I tell the Queen that I'm going with you tomorrow or shall we make up something else?"

"Hey guys," called out DG. "What the heck are you two up to?"

"Nothing, Your Highness," said Ambrose with a smile. "Though, my Queen, I'm going to have leave for a few days. I would like to test a new invention and Cain is going to come along to be my test subject." Well, it was the truth, but he wasn't going to say much more.

"Oh, Ambrose, what have you been working on?" asked the Queen.

"A vest that fits on our Tin Man or troops that will stop a bullet," said Ambrose.

"The Other Side has had those for a very long time," said DG.

"We will be waiting to hear how the test goes," said the Queen. "Please try not to hurt General Cain; he is going to check on the new troops next week."

"I will do my best, my Queen," said Ambrose. "I shall take my leave now and get all my things packed up and be off to bed." He bowed to the royal family and left.

"I will be taking my leave also, Your Highness," said Cain.

"Yes," said the Queen. Cain bowed and left.

Cain was almost to his quarters when DG caught up with him. "All right, Cain, what are you two up to?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," replied the General.

"I've noticed for the last year...annual, that you two have had your heads together and a lot whispering going on. You've even camped out in Ambrose's lab, so, what is up?"

Leaning down, Cain kissed DG on the lips. "Nothing is going on darling, trust me."

"We are finally getting married in a month. If this is your way to get out of it, Wyatt Cain, I will hurt you."

Cain started to laugh. "Oh no, I've waited too long to get you to marry me, so I'm not trying to get out of it. I promise that one to you. I'm just going to wear the vest when he is ready to test it. That is all."

"You swear?" asked DG as she looked up at her Tin Man.

"Yes," said Cain as he pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head.

"All right then," said DG. Looking up at Cain, she laughed. "Boy, with all the questions you've asked me about my dating on the other side, I was wondering if you were going to do something weird in the future, but I guess I'm being paranoid."

"Then I will see you when I get back with Ambrose," said Cain.

"Yeah, if I have to," said DG. "How about if I come along?"

"No," said Cain in his best voice that took no brook.

"Fine," said DG, smiling at Cain. He let loose of her and she moved down the hallway. Cain let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He had to get into his room before DG thought of something else and came back.

He threw some of his clothes into a bag that DG had given him. It was from the other side, so he hoped he wouldn't stand out in the college.

That morning, Cain was up before the first sunrise. He went down to Ambrose's lab to get the man. Once down there, he found Ambrose with Az.

"Good morning, Your Highness," said Cain.

"Before you get angry," Ambrose started. "We need her to call up a traveling storm for us to get back and forth. She is coming but she understands that she will not be with us."

Cain turned to keep the Princess from catching the dirty word that DG had taught him from the other side. "I hadn't thought of how we were getting there. It's fine, she is our only way."

The three left the palace and made their way out to get into a car that would drive them out far enough to call the storm. Cain found a place to hide the car as Az was out calling up the storm. Ambrose was checking all his equipment to make sure it was packed safety for the storm, he didn't want it to get broken on the trip over.

When the storm appeared, Cain was surprised how big it was.

Az pulled the two men closer to her. "We jump into it," she yelled over the noise of the storm. Then the three jumped into the storm.

When it was all said and done, Cain hated the storms. It was no wonder that DG was confused when she came back to the O.Z. Cain recognized the house that stood not far from them as the house that DG had lived in. Cain had seen several pictures that DG had drawn of house. He made his way across the field and looked in the buildings for the truck that Henry used. He found it, but had no way to start it.

"I don't have the keys," yelled Cain to Az and Ambrose.

"Let me see if I can start it," said Ambrose as he came over to the truck. Cain got out of it and Ambrose climbed in and was looking under the steering wheel.

"What are you doing?" asked Cain.

"I'm going to hotwire it," said Ambrose. "I remember DG said that is was easy." He had a couple of wires in his hand and he was looking around for something.

"What are you doing?" asked Az.

"I need to cut the wires. I'm looking for something to do that with."

Cain pulled out a knife and handed it, handle-first, to Ambrose. The advisor smiled up at the General and cut the wires. Handing back the knife, Ambrose started to connect the wires and the engine sputtered.

He jumped out of the truck and Cain jumped in then gave it some gas. The truck came to life and Cain smiled at the other two. They got into the truck and they headed down the road.

"Do you know where you are going?" asked Princess Az.

"I once had DG draw me a map on how to get to the college she was going to," said Cain. "I memorized all the road names and street names, when to make turns and which way to go. So I should be able to get us there with out too much trouble, I hope." They got all the way into town and the three where surprised how the town looked; all the people there.

"We are most definitely not in O.Z. any more," said Princess Az.

"Oh, no kidding," said Ambrose. "Everything over here is such a dull color compared to things in O.Z."

Cain shook his head, of course it was different. This was a completely different planet if he understood what was said between the Consort, DG and Ambrose. He couldn't figure out how they survived with just one sun.

Cain stopped the truck in front of a building on the edge of the college campus. He looked at it and then to Ambrose. "Those are the markings DG told me about." He pointed at the odd letters on the side of the building.

"What do they mean?" asked Ambrose.

"They are 'Geek' letters," said Cain.

"What does that mean?" asked Az.

"The 'Geeks' were one of the first people over here that had a great civilization," said Cain. "That is what DG told me."

"Oh," said Az. She really didn't understand, but it was all right. As long as Cain saved DG from the evil that Ambrose talked about, it didn't matter.

"Az, you are to stay in the truck and wait for me. Ambrose with be with you." Looking at Ambrose, he said: "I think you can get your stuff out now."

Cain got out of the truck and pulled Ambrose's bag out of the back. He handed it to the advisor. Opening it up, Ambrose dug around and pulled out a small machine. Then he pulled something small out.

"What is the date?" asked Ambrose.

"DG said it was October 31, 2007, at or around 10 PM," said Cain. "I think you should make it earlier then that, since she wasn't sure."

"All right," said Ambrose as he played with the machine. Looking up at Cain, he handed the small thing to Cain. "This thing with take you there and back to us now. Push that button and it will pull you back here. The machine will automatically take you to the date. If you get into trouble, push the button. I don't know how many times we can do this, but try to do it the first time."

"Don't worry, I'm planning on it," said Cain. "Is this going to hurt?"

"No idea," said Ambrose. He touched a button and Cain saw nothing but a bright light all around him. Next thing he knew, he was standing in street with all sorts of strange-looking people walking up to the building.

Well, it didn't hurt, but it was a strange trip. He really looked older then anyone around the place, but he was going to bluff his way in. He headed for the door, waiting for the next group to go in. The boy who opened the door looked at Cain in his hat and coat. "You must be the brother from National?'

"Yes," said Cain. He had no idea what he just said yes to, but as long as it got him inside, he didn't care. Walking around, Cain got familiar with the place. He kept an eye out for DG, too.

He got himself a beer from the bar, and found a corner to stand in, watching all that was going on around. The door opened and DG walked in with a boy. She was dressed all in black. She looked good in black, but he wouldn't be able to tell her that any time soon. She had a cape on and a small whip in her hand; he wasn't sure what she was dressed as, but he put his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

The boy moved over and got them some drinks. Cain wanted to beat the boy up now and save her from the drugging, but he couldn't; he just moved whenever they did. It was when the boy walked DG upstairs that Cain thought he would have trouble getting up there, but no one stopped him as he went up the stairs. Now, he had to find out what room they were in. DG was vague on where the room was, so Cain just opened all the doors until he found DG on the bed and the boy taking his clothes off. Cain hit the boy so fast, the kid didn't know what the hell happened. After the boy was unconscious, Cain did up the boy's clothes and left that one body part out, like DG had said.

Cain moved over DG and kissed her on the lips. "I will see you soon, please forgive me for being an ass." Leaving the room, Cain pushed the button and the bright light came back on. He was wondering where that was coming from, but he'd have to ask Ambrose about that later.

When Cain could see Ambrose and the Princess, he smiled at them.

"You did it?" asked the Princess.

"Yes," said Cain. "You know DG wondered after she met me if I beat the boy up. It was her that put the idea in my head, so it's part of history now."

"Then let's go home," said Ambrose. "This place is just too dull for me." Cain laughed as Ambrose packed up his stuff and they got back into the truck. They got all the way back to the house without anyone seeing them.

Az called up a storm to get them home. It dropped them off a slight walk from the car, but it was all right; they were back in the O.Z., and that was all that mattered.


End file.
